Most of us have either been in a car accident or knows someone who has been injured in one. If you’ve suffered an injury from a car accident, you will need to file a claim to get compensated.
In California, there are the 3 types of car accident claim you could file including:
Property Damage (PD) Claim
Property damage claim covers damages to property as a result of the accident. For example, a PD claim can cover damage caused to gates, fences, houses, trees, lamp posts, or telephone poles.
Property damage liability coverage is often referred to by three numbers like 15/30/5. In this example, the coverage for an accident is:
- $15,000 for injury or death to a single person
- $30,000 for injury or death per accident
- 5,000 for property damage
Mandatory coverage limits vary by state. In California, the minimum property damage liability coverage is $5,000 for property damage. Drivers have the option of carrying a higher amount if offered by their insurance company.
Property damage liability insurance usually doesn’t cover damages to your car. For that, you’ll need other types of coverages such as collision coverage.
Bodily Injury (BI) Claim
Bodily injury liability insurance covers injuries to other drivers and passengers.
In California, all drivers are required to carry bodily injury liability insurance. At a minimum, each driver is required to have 15/30 insurance coverage. This means:
- $15,000 for injury or death to a single person
- $30,000 for injury or death per accident
Drivers can choose to carry policies with higher limits, but cannot have lower than the state-required minimum amount. Many California insurance companies offer policies with higher limits.
Bodily injury liability insurance pays for the other party’s medical bills when they’ve been injured in an accident caused by the policyholder.
Bodily injury liability insurance can cover a range of costs including:
- Ambulance bills
- Emergency room or hospital bills
- Chiropractor bills
- Short- or long-term care
A BI claim can also cover physical or occupational therapy costs.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Claim
In California, PIP is optional insurance that covers medical expenses if you’ve been involved in an auto accident. One of the advantages of having PIP insurance is that it will provide essential compensation – regardless of who is at fault.
If your case goes to court and you end up losing, the financial results could be overwhelming. With PIP, your insurance would pay – regardless of the outcome of your case. So even if you lose your case, PIP will still cover your expenses.
Examples of costs covered under PIP insurance include:
- Hospital bills
- Doctor bills
- Ambulance bills
- ER visits bills
- X-rays or MRI bills
On the other hand, PIP claim payment can be significantly less than a payment obtained by an injury claim because pain and suffering compensation isn’t included.
Consult with a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Our personal injury law firm has decades of experience handling all types of car accident claims. If you’re a victim of a car accident, you have the right to claim damages against the party at fault. Our experienced car accident attorneys at Mesriani Law Group can help you with your car accident claims. Contact us today to see how we can help you get the maximum compensation you deserve.
